Difference Between IPv4 vs IPv6

What is IPv4?

IPv4 is a version of the Internet Protocol commonly used to identify devices on a network via an addressing system. In 1983, it was the first version of IP to be used in production on the ARPANET. It stores 2³² addresses, which is more than 4 billion addresses, using a 32-bit address scheme. It is the most crucial Internet Protocol, carrying 94% of all Internet traffic.

Computers only understand integers in binary form in today's computer network environment and do not understand IP addresses in the usual numeric format. Either 1 or 0 is a valid binary number. IPv4 comprises four sets, each of which represents an octet. Each octet's bits indicate a number.

An octet's bits can be either 1 or 0. If the bit is a 1, the number it represents will be counted; if the bit is a 0, the number it represents will not be counted. For example, The binary representation of IP address 120.64.56.12 is

Let us see in detail how to obtain the binary representation.

Step 1: First, we will find the binary representation of 120. For 120, we will put 1 under 64, 32, 16, and 8 because the sum of 64, 32, 16, and 8 is 120. And the rest bit will be 0. So the binary representation of 120 will be 01111000.

Step 2: Now, we will see the binary representation of 64. As there is a direct 64 available in the 8-bit octet, so we will put 1 under 64, and the rest bit will be set to 0. And the binary bit of 64 will be 01000000.

Step 3: Next, we have to find the binary representation of 56. The sum of 32, 16, and 8 leads to 56. So we will put 1 under each value, and the rest bit will be set to 0. The binary bit of 56 will be 00111000.

Step 4: Lastly, we have to find the binary representation of 12. The sum of 8 and 4 leads to 12. So we will put 1 under each, and the rest bit will be set to 0. The binary bit of 12 will be 00001100.

So, at last, the binary representation of IP address 120.64.56.12 is 0111 1000.0100 0000.0011 1000.0000 1100.

Key Characteristics of IPv4

IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) is the most widely used version of the Internet Protocol for routing traffic on the internet. It has several key characteristics that make it suitable for communication in networking. Here are 10 essential IPv4 characteristics:

• 32-bit Addressing
  IPv4 uses a 32-bit address space, which allows for approximately 4.3 billion unique IP addresses. This limited address space has been a factor in the transition to IPv6.
   
• Dotted Decimal Notation
  IPv4 addresses are expressed in dotted decimal notation, where the 32-bit address is divided into four 8-bit octets, represented as decimal numbers (e.g., 192.168.1.1).
   
• Connectionless Protocol
  IPv4 is connectionless, meaning it does not establish a connection before sending data. Each packet is treated independently, and delivery is not guaranteed.
   
• Routing Flexibility
  IPv4 allows flexible routing. It uses routing tables and mechanisms like subnetting to efficiently direct data across networks, ensuring it reaches the correct destination.
   
• Header Structure
  The IPv4 header contains several important fields, such as source address, destination address, protocol type, and TTL (Time-to-Live), providing essential routing and control information for each packet.
   
• Fragmentation and Reassembly
  IPv4 supports fragmentation and reassembly of packets, allowing large packets to be broken into smaller ones to fit within the size limits of the network.
   
• Support for Broadcast Communication
  IPv4 supports broadcast communication, allowing a packet to be sent to all devices within a local network by addressing it to the broadcast address (e.g., 255.255.255.255).
   
• Classful Addressing
  IPv4 traditionally used classful addressing (Class A, B, C) to allocate IP addresses based on the size of the network. However, it has largely been replaced by CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing) to provide more flexibility.
   
• IPv4 Limitations
  One of the significant IPv4 limitations is its limited address space. With the growing number of internet-connected devices, the 32-bit address space is insufficient, leading to the adoption of IPv6.

Drawback of IPv4

In this section of the blog, we will see what are the major drawbacks of IPv4.

• IPv4 requires manual or automatic configuration. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is required for manual IPv4 configuration. (DHCP). DHCP configurations are complicated.
   
• Because IPv4 was released so long ago, it was not designed to be secure against attacks present today.
   
• Individual address prefixes are given in IPv4 so that each one can function as a new router. Additionally, today's internet uses both flat and hierarchical routers. The internet backbone routers, however, have more than 85 000 routes.
   
• Although IPv4 has a mobility specification, it is seen to be ineffective. The fact that it has its own infrastructure accounts for this.
   
• Another issue with utilizing IPv4 is public address exhaustion. The initial address class allocation procedures are primarily to blame for this. 

Features of IPv4

The main features of IPv4 are as follows

• It is a connectionless protocol.
   
• It is used to identify the device's location on the internet uniquely.
   
• IPv4 requires less memory and ease of remembering addresses.
   
• It offers video libraries and conferences.
   
• It uses 32-bit addressing.

What is IPv6?

The Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is the most recent. This new IP address version is being implemented to meet the need for additional Internet addresses. It was created to resolve IPv4 difficulties.

IPv4 addresses are 32 bits long, but IPv6 addresses are 128 bits long. In comparison to IPv4, IPv6 has a larger address space and a more specific header. There are both integers and alphabets in this hexadecimal address.

IPv6 is a 128-bit hexadecimal address composed of eight groups of 16 bits each, separated by a colon. Each hexadecimal character in IPv6 represents four bits. As a result, we must translate four bits at a time to a hexadecimal integer.

Example:

Key Characteristics of IPv6

IPv6 is the latest version of the Internet Protocol, designed to address the limitations of IPv4, particularly in terms of address space and scalability. Here are 10 essential IPv6 characteristics that highlight its advantages over IPv4:

• 128-bit Addressing
  IPv6 uses 128-bit addressing, allowing for an almost infinite number of unique IP addresses. This provides ample space for the growing number of internet-connected devices, addressing the limitations of IPv4’s 32-bit address space.
   
• Hexadecimal Notation
  IPv6 addresses are written in hexadecimal notation, with each group of four hexadecimal digits representing 16 bits. This reduces the complexity of writing long binary addresses and enhances readability.
   
• Simplified Header Format
  The IPv6 header has been streamlined compared to IPv4, reducing the overhead and improving the efficiency of routing. It eliminates some IPv4 fields, making packet processing faster.
   
• No More NAT (Network Address Translation)
  With the vast address space, IPv6 eliminates the need for NAT. Each device can have a unique public IP address, simplifying the networking setup and improving direct device communication.
   
• Improved Security
  IPv6 was designed with security in mind, incorporating mandatory support for IPsec (Internet Protocol Security). This provides better encryption and authentication, enhancing the overall security of data transmissions.
   
• Auto-Configuration
  IPv6 supports stateless address autoconfiguration, meaning devices can automatically generate their own IP addresses without the need for a DHCP server. This makes it easier to deploy devices in an IPv6-enabled network.
   
• Built-In QoS (Quality of Service)
  IPv6 includes flow labels in its header, which helps prioritize and manage traffic more efficiently. This is particularly useful for applications that require high bandwidth or low latency, such as video streaming or online gaming.
   
• No Broadcast Communication
  Unlike IPv4, IPv6 does not support broadcast communication. Instead, it uses multicast and Anycast for communication, allowing more efficient and targeted data delivery to multiple recipients or specific devices.

Features of IPv6

The main features of IPv4 are as follows

• The latest version of Internet Protocol is IPv6.
   
• It is used to identify the device's location on the internet uniquely.
   
• Each device on the internet must have its IP address, which is used to place it on the internet uniquely.
   
• IPv6 uses 128-bit addressing.
   
• IPv6 supports approximately 340 trillion devices.
   
• IPv6 uses a total of 8 groups of four hexadecimal digits which are separated by colons.
   
• IPv6 was designed by the Internet Engineering Task Force, commonly known as IETF.

Address format

Let us see the address format of IPv4 and IPv6. 

Address format of IPv4: 

Address format of IPv6:

An IPv4 is a 32-bit decimal address. Each of its 4 octets, or fields, is 8 bits in size and is separated from the others by a dot. Each field should contain an integer that falls between 0 and 255. An IPv6 is a 128-bit hexadecimal address. Each of its 8 fields, which are each 16-bits in size, is separated by a colon.

Difference between IPv4 and IPv6

Frequently Asked Questions

IPv4 vs IPv6

The fourth edition of the Internet Protocol (IP), IPv4, enables both manual and DHCP address set up and has a 32-bit address length. The latest Internet Protocol (IP) release, IPv6, has 128-bit addresses and permits automatic and renumbering address setup.

Which is better IPv4 or IPv6?

Compared to IPv4, version 6 of the Internet Protocol (IPv6) is more sophisticated and offers superior functionality. It offers an endless supply of addresses. It handles the expanding number of networks globally and assists in addressing the issue of running out of IP addresses.

Is IPv4 faster than IPv6?

No, IPv4 is not faster than IPv6. In network devices, IPv6 is faster than IPv4 because it lacks network-address translation. (NAT). For those who need a high processing speed for their network, IPv6 is a superior option.

Why is IPv4 mostly used than IPv6?

In the case of IPv4, there is a routing protocol that is supported by the routed daemon. As a result, IPv4 is preferred over IPv6 in terms of routing performance. And also, IPv6 only uses static routes because it doesn't allow any specific routing protocols. 

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed Internet Protocol, Internet Protocol Version 4, and Internet Protocol Version 6 and the differences between IPv4 and IPv6.

Recommended Reading:

• Stop and Wait Protocol 
• Distance Vector Routing Algorithm
• Introduction to computer networks
• Basic Characteristics of Computer Networks
• Data Link Layer
• Introduction to Network Layer
• Network Addressing
• Token Bus and Token Ring
• Sliding Window Protocol
• Go back N-ARQ Protocol
• Difference Between Data Analyst and Business Analyst
• Subnet mask